I Still Believe
by Hobie
Summary: Carrot/Chocolate songfic based on the Mariah Carey song.


I Still Believe, songfic by Hobie McCombs__

Chocolate Misu remembered that fateful day, the day Carrot chose to give his heart to her sister. They had confessed their true love for each other after Tira had been struck a fateful blow meant to kill the destruction god. Somehow, someway Carrot had used his deadly alter ego's powers to restore her. Love had conquered all.

What about her love for him? Why hadn't it surfaced at the moment of truth? Would that have made a difference? All her life, she had made her feelings known to him. He knew she loved him with every fiber of her being. 

Yet Tira's love had been the one to save him, save everything.

They had gotten married soon thereafter.

And that had left her alone for good.

A lone figure on horseback came to a stop at the end of her driveway. The lean person dismounted then tied his mount to a post on the fence.

Her heart beat faster as she recognized the guy, he wore that same unkempt spiked hairdo, that plain brown tank top ,and khaki slacks.

_You look in my eyes _

_And I get emotional inside. _

"Hey you," Carrot sauntered up her sidewalk to join her on her newly built porch. The wood smelled fresh and had yet to be painted.

"Hello darl…Carrot," she smiled shyly.

"Nice digs," he remarked, noting the large expanse of land. She had a lot of privacy, out here in the middle of nowhere. The closest homestead was a couple miles away.

"My own private slice of paradise," she agreed. "I've been getting a great tan, trying to keep up with mowing the grass."

"Work's been kinda slow, so I figured I'd venture out here and help you fix up the place," he told her. 

"What about Tira?" she questioned. It wasn't like her sister to pass up an opportunity to see her, even if she felt a little uneasy doing so in light of the marriage.

"She went to a Gaias retreat with Syleste," Carrot replied. 

Which meant he intended to spend the next few days with 

_I know it's crazy _

_But you still can touch my heart. _

_And after all this time, _

_You'd think that I, _

_I wouldn't feel the same _

Carrot struggled to carry a metal ladder out from her shed and set it up against the side of her house. 

"Need some help?" she asked.

"Naw, I can manage. You need a guy to do the dirty work around this place," he replied with a lopsided grin.

She half imagined that this was their place, that they were working on furnishing the place they would spend.

He picked up a scraper and began to chip away at the old paint.

_But time melts into nothing_

_And nothing's changed._

"I made some iced tea," she told him, carrying out a heaping pitcher with two tall glasses.

"Thanks," Carrot said, wiping the perspiration off his brow. "Man it's hot out today! Ya really gotta get up early to do all this work before the heat saps your energy."

"Yeah, I tend to spend most of my afternoons in the pond."

He examined her front door. 

"I've been meaning to put a screen door in," she mentioned. 

"I'll run into town tomorrow and get you one," he said. "Anyway, you want me to start the first coat of paint?"

"You should relax after that long trip up here," she replied. "I'm in no rush to get the house painted. It's not like I have a lot of friends stopping by."

"You didn't have to move all the way out in Timbuktu," he chided her with a smirk.

But she did. She could not bear to live near her sister and Carrot. It would be too close and she'd go to pieces after a while. It was better to distance herself.

_I still believe, someday you and me, _

_Will find ourselves in love again. _

Carrot stood in Chocolate's living room, staring at the Julien More painting he had done of her and Tira. It had the magical property to show them in their sorcerer hunter outfits and their civilian clothes. His bullish Zoanthropic incarnation also materialized in the background.

She had spent considerable time decorating her living room. Carrot found she had fine taste, china cabinets, knickknack shelves, and doll cases. Even a few katanas and knives hung on her walls. Cuisinian influence, perhaps?

"What do you think?" she asked, searching his face for a sign.

"Nice blend of your sweet and 'Atilla' side," he answered.

Her sweet side, a side of her that had only been reserved for him. Underneath that cool exterior, had been a woman that needed affection, some tenderness shown her way. One that wanted a rose colored newlywed life, perhaps a newborn baby. Once he had shown her his sensitive side so long ago, memories of a campfire, rescuing her from a fire bear, she had regarded him in a different light. No longer someone to beat up on, someone who brought out the better qualities in her. She had been a bitter bully, forced to act older than her age, to protect Tira. The love the Glaces had shown her balanced out the hardened orphan into a beautiful young lady who could have any guy she wanted. Except him.

_I had a dream, someday you and me,_

_Will find ourselves in love again._

The more she had come onto him, the more resistance he put up to succumbing. He ran from her constantly, never taking her serious, not for a moment.

He'd cry rape.

Or go off and chase unattainable girls. 

Sometimes she questioned what she saw in him and wondered if it was ever worth the effort being rejected for the umpteenth time.

But those bedroom eyes of his had a way of keeping her captured. And she never gave up hope that someday he'd eventually come around.

_Each day of my life_

_I'm filled with all the joy I could find. _

He took a seat on a lounge chair on the back patio. Chocolate had planted a rose garden which lead all the way to the inviting clear pond. A few bonsai trees stood in pots on the outer edge of the stone. She had a new grill that so far, had gone unused.

"Do you have a swimsuit?" she asked.

"I'll jump in with my boxers on and dry em out on your clothesline," he answered.

She had seen him naked hundreds of times. But frolicking around in the all together with your sister-in-law wasn't a good idea even if there was no one else around for miles.

Chocolate lifted the cover of her new grill. "You like? I got it cheap, haven't tested it out yet."

"I could go for a nice juicy hibachi steak right now," he agreed licking his chops. "Or a rack of barbecued ribs!"

"Hungry? Does Tira feed you well enough?"

"She's got me on a low salt, low butter diet. I can only eat the good food once a week," he complained mildly.

"I'll fix you some ribs then," she smiled conspiratorially. "And we'll open that bottle of Merlot I've been saving."

_You know that I am not the desperate type. _

_If there's one spark of hope left in my grasp _

_I'll hold it with both hands. _

_It's worth the risk of burning to have a second chance. _

"Whoooooo!!!!" Carrot gave a cry then dove headfirst into the refreshing pond. He surfaced then gave a thumbs up to Chocolate, who set a towel down on the soft grass. She wore a modest teal bikini, that accentuated her supple curves.

Chocolate joined in him the cool water, memories of swimming in a creek with her and Tira and he and Marron. She remembered he liked to fish.

"There's some catfish in this pond," she mentioned. "The fish, they come into it via a small spring."

"Lucky you," he smiled back. "Is this water drinkable?"

"I wouldn't recommend it," she replied, playfully splashing some water in his direction.

He chuckled.

It was good to hear him laugh again. She had missed that.

_No, no, no, no, no, no I need you baby. _

_I still believe that we can be together. _

Carrot licked the last remaining bit of barbecue sauce off his plate. He had eaten two racks of succulent ribs, fat and all. He smiled at her in satisfaction. 

"What do you want for dessert?" she asked innocently.

"Do you have to ask?" he returned suggestively, reaching to undo her apron.

Chocolate snapped out of her momentary fantasy. 

He sat across the table eating like a man who hadn't dined in days. Like a boy, he licked his fingers clean of the tangy barbecue sauce. She took a sip from her wine glass, wishing that she could cook for him every day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. It didn't matter as long as he was at the table with a happy look on his face.

"Want some more scalloped potatoes?"

"Yes!" he pushed his empty plate towards her. "And cole slaw too!"

"You've some sauce on your chin, lemme get it for you…." she took a napkin and wiped his face.

"Thanks," he said politely.

Chocolate stared, regarding the scene before her. She recalled countless nights, sobbing into her pillow, yearning that the empty house she came home to every day was just a bad dream, that perhaps she'd wake up and she'd still have a chance. That the love of her life wasn't married to her little sister. That she and he could grow old together, happily ever after. 

The floodworks came 

Covering her face with both hands, she ran off, destination unknown. All she knew was she had to get away from him. 

"Chocolate!" Carrot was up in an instant and after her. Back then it was always the other way around, her trying to chase him down. Him, usually screaming bloody murder.

_If we believe that true love never has to end, _

_Then we must know that we will love again._

She had a head start and was in excellent condition. Moreover, she had a better understanding of the terrain and he had just gorged himself on ribs and wine.

Still, his concern for her somehow gave him the ability to chase her down. He caught up to her after she paused behind an oak tree, trying to hide from him, maybe hoping he'd pass her by. 

"Chocolate!" Carrot grabbed her by both arms and held her tight.

"Baka!" she hissed. "Let me go!"

"No!" he insisted. "What's the matter?"

She broke his grip and conjured her razor sharp garrotte. "Get away from me, Carrot!" she warned, voice low and shaking.

"No! You can slice me up, I know. But that won't keep me from finding out what the hell is wrong!"

I still believe 

_Someday you and me_

_Will find ourselves_

_In love again_

"You and me," she whispered, tears streaming from her blue eyes, down her cheeks.

"But I'm married now," he made sure to talk in a gentle way.

"I know that!" she countered, voice raising. "But how did you expect me to react? Seeing you again….there's a reason I moved way out here! I-I wish you hadn't decided to show up. Why? Why did you have to?"

"Because I care," he started. 

"It's better if you'd have stayed away."

"No it's not. You're still part of our family."

"I'm not….over you," she stated accusingly. "I'll never be."

"Chocolate," he took a small step towards her.

She looked up, eyes bloodshot. ""I loved you, Carrot. I still do. But I guess that love wasn't good enough or strong enough to make you love me in return."

She sniffed and folded her arms across her chest.

"Chocolate, you don't know how much I regret not being able to alleviate your pain. I wish sometimes I never acted the way I did," he admitted, feeling his own eyes begin to moisten. "I'm with Tira now, I knew it would hurt you, but maybe there's someone else…"

"I don't want anyone else!" she shouted, then turned away from him. "Anyone else would be second best.. Don't you dare patronize me, Carrot Glace!"

"I'm not. Please understand, I can't change who I love," he implored.

"Neither can I," she sank to her knees, despair seeking to overwhelm her.

I had a dream Someday you and me Would find ourselves In love again 

He walked over and knelt down beside her.

"Obviously this moment pales in comparison to the one you and Tira had," she spoke, eyes shut.

"Please don't blame yourself," he urged. "I still want you to be a big part of my life. I want you to be happy, I want the best for you."

"The best thing? That would be waking up alongside you…having kids…."

Carrot bowed his head. "I'm sorry." 


End file.
